Catheter placement unit



y 1965 v. P. CZORNY 3,185,151

CATHETER PLACEMENT UNIT Filed June 19, 1962 INVENT OR. V4846 p OZOP/V) u; AZ!

A TTORNE YS United States Patent 3,185,151 CATHET PLACEMENT UNlT Vasil P. Qzorny, alt Lalre Qity, tail, assignor to Enronson Research (Zorn, Salt Laire City, tah, a corporation of Utah Filed .l'une 19, 1962, Ser. No. 293,554- 6 Claims. (U. 128214) This invention relates to improvements in a catheter placement unit, and more particularly to a unit for placing a catheter through a cannulated needle into the vein of a patient for an intravenous infusion, although the invention may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Catheter placement units as developed heretofore have proven highly objectionable because of the difficulty in manipulating the unit to properly advance the catheter through the cannulated needle and position it in the vein of the patient. In some instances, a catheter was packaged in a pliable plastic sheath, connected with a cannulated needle, either capped or in the same sheath with the catheter, and the catheter being provided with a connector for engagement with an infusion tube, plugged for the purpose of maintaining sterility. With such a device the needle had to be uncovered, inserted in a patients vein, and the catheter advanced while still in its sheath. This was extremely difficult owing to back flow of blood into the sac which lubricated the catheter and made it difficult to be gripped through the sac and pushed forwardly into the vein in a dry condition. After advancement of the catheter the sac would be removed, the connector unplugged, and attached to the infusion tube. The entire procedure was messy, highly objectionable to the operator, and if the venipuncture was faulty, the entire apparatus had to be thrown away and a new attempt made with a new apparatus.

In other instances heretofore, a relatively rigid sheath was used to house the catheter and the catheter was advanced through the cannulated needle by means of a plunger, which had to be removed, the sheath removed, a connector placed in position, and the hollow hub of the needle connected to the infusion tube. Here again a slow and tedious process was involved and the operation proved messy by back fiow of blood.

In still other instances, a cannulated needle having a longitudinal slot therein was utilized, and this was objectionable because an intralurninal plug of tissue accumulated in the slot of the needle, interferingwith the advancement of the catheter, and rendering the operation unsterile by virtue of the catheter contacting the skin of the patient. 7

All such formerly known catheter units were thus objectionable in that air and residue from sterilization could not be flushed out prior to venipuncture, giving rise to the possibility of air embolism resulting, there was loss of blood from the patient, and danger of the spread of disease from potentially infected blood. Also, the units were objectionably. difficultto manipulate, resulted in a messy operation, and some operators objected to the need of removing a catheter sheath.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a catheter placement unit by means of which the catheter may be connected to the infusion system prior to venipuncture and nothing need be removed from the unit except a needle cap and a tube cap.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of a catheter placement unit wherein the sheath which maintains the catheter in a sterile condition remains after positioning of the catheter as a part of the infusion system.

Still another feature of this invention resides in the provision of a catheter placement unit so constructed that the catheter may be advanced through a cannulated needle into the vein of a patent in a simple, expeditious, and clean manner without direct manipulation of the catheter itself.

Also a feature of this invention is the provision of a catheter placement unit wherein the catheter may be advanced through a cannulated needle while infusion is taking place, the advancement being aided by expansion of the vein ahead of the catheter by the infusion liquid, and the catheter is maintained properly seated in the unit with the aid of the infusion liquid pressure.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an economical catheter placement unit of simple construction, and wherein the infusion tube is connected directly to the catheter sheath which thereupon becomes a part of the infusion system, and such connection may be established prior to venipuncture.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary part vertical sectional, part elevational view illustrating a catheter unit embodying principles of the instant invention, prior to advancemerit of the catheter;

FIGURE 2 is a View similar in character to FIGURE 1 but illustrating the catheter partly advanced into the vein of the patient;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevational View of the unit prior to use, with the needle cap removed;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary part sectional, part elevational view illustrating a modified form of catheter unit embodying principles of the instant invention, showing the same ready for use; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary part sectional part elevational View showing the structure of FIGURE 4 with the catheter advanced.

As shown on the drawings:

In the first illustrated embodiment of the instant invention, seen in FIGURES 1, '2 and 3, there is, shown a catheter placement uni-t embodying the usual cannu lated needle 1 having a hollow hub 2-thereon. A resilient circumferentially corrugated tube 3 is secured at one end to the needle hub 2, and at the other end to a hollow connector 4 having a tapering nose 5 of a size to seat within the hollow hub 2 of the needle. This tube 3 may satisfactorily be made of synthetic rubber or equivalent material inert to both body and infusion liquids. Se-

cured to the outer end of the connector or bushing 4 is an elongated tube 6 which, together with the resilient tube 3 forms a sheath for the catheter. This tube 6 may be made of a suitable plastic material, preferably trans- 7 parent, a polyvinyl plastic, polyurethane plastic, or equivalent material being satisfactory. A nipple 7 or equivalent means is provided at the outer end of the tube 6 and projects therefrom to receive a cap 8, FIGURE 3, thereon, to maintain the interior of the sheath and the catheter therein in a sterile condition until the unit is put to use.

Inside the tubes 3 and 6 is a catheter 9 which is in the form or" a flexible plastic tube. While the tube 6 may also be somewhat flexible, the tube 6 is preferably less flexible than the catheter. As seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, the catheter is preferably provided with an enlargement ill on its trailing end so that it will not be advanced too far. The catheter extends through a resilient plug 11 inside the connector 4, and this plug is provided with a conical opening therethrough as indicated at 12, with the smaller end of the opening toward the needle whereanswer by the catheter is movable forwardly but rearward motion is restricted, the plug functioning as a one-way valve.

In use, the instant placement unit is extremely simple and effective. It is simply necessary to remove the cap 8 from the nipple 7 and insert the end of an infusion tube 13 leading from an infusion tank 14 as diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 1. Of course, there will be suitable valve means in the infusion system. The needle cap or enclosure, not shown, is removed, the infusion system turned on, and the catheter unit flushed out to remove air and whatever sterilization residue may be present. Then the venipuncture is made, as indicated in FIGURES l and 2 wherein the arm 15 of a patient is diagrammatically shown with a needle entered through the flesh of the arm into a vein 16. Infusion is begun immediately-upon establishment of the venipuncture and while infusion proceeds the catheter is advanced through the needle into the vein. This may easily be accomplished by holding the unit over the hub 2 of the needle and with the other hand holding the unit over the connector 4 and physically moving the connector forwardly toward the needle compressing the corrugated tube 3. This is in effect what may be termed a pumping operation, and the catheter is advanced a certain amount each time the tube 3 is so compressed. The plug 11 maintains the increments of advancement of the catheter, and when the catheter is fully in position, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2, the conical nose of the fitting 4 is forced into the hollow hub of the needle, with the enlargement It at the trailing end of the catheter seated in the plug 11. The insertion of the nose of the fitting 4 into the needle hub somewhat compresses the plug in the connector so that the needle is firmly held and the fixed position of the needle is augmented by pressure of the infusion liquid. After the catheter is positioned, the needle may be withdrawn out of the patients body and the catheter secured to the body with adhesive tape or in any other suitable manner as is commonly done when infusion is to be continued for a relatively long period of time and the risk of injury to the patient from an inserted needle is desired to be eliminated.

It will be noted that the catheter may be very easily inserted through the needle into the vein of the patient without danger of puncturing the vein wall and with the catheter properly following the tortuous contour of the vein, since the infusion liquid maintains the vein open ahead of the advancing catheter. This overcomes the former difliculty of inserting a catheter in a patients vein when the patient was under shock and the vein collapsed. It will also be particularly noted that there can be no loss of blood from the patient, there will be no air embolism resulting, the patient will not be irritated by any sterilization residue, there is no danger of spread of disease from potentially infected blood, and the entire operation of positioning the catheter may be accomplished rapidly in a neat and clean manner with no mess. Further, there are no parts of the catheter unit to be removed following insertion of the catheter, since all parts of the unit used at the time of venipuncture remain as a part of the infusion system.

In FIGURES 4 and 5 I have illustrated a different form of the instant invention. In this instance, the same needle 1 and the same catheter 9 as above described are embodied in the unit. An elongated pliable plastic sac or enclosure sheaths the catheter, one end of the sac being secured to the needle hub 2, and the other end being secured ltO a nipple 18 having an expanded end 19 outside the sheath to receive the infusion tube 13. It will be understood that'prior to use a plug or cap will seal the exposed enlarged end 19 of the nipple 18, and there will be a cap or enclosure over the needle.

When this form of the invention is put to use, it is a simple expedient to remove the plug or cap at the outer end of the sheathing means and connect the infusion tube '13 to the unit, remove the cap from the needle, flush out the unit, make the venipuncture, and advance the catheter through the needle by squeezing the sac 17 against the catheter and pushing the catheter forwardly, the sac rumpling as indicated in FIGURE 5 very readily to accomplish this purpose. When the catheter is seated with the conical head 10 thereof resting against the bottom of the hollow in the needle hub as also seen in FIGURE 5, pressure of the infusion liquid will maintain the catheter in that position. Nothing else need be removed from the unit, since the means sheathing the catheter'then become a part of the infusion system. Here again, the advantages discussed above are present, and the needle may be withdrawn from the venipuncture and the catheter secured to the patients body in a known manner. Should it be diflicult to positively seat the catheter against the bottom of 'the hollow in the needle hub, a slight withdrawal of the needle will accomplish that, and the conical end 10 on the catheter will prevent the catheter being advanced too far through the needle.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided a simple form of catheter placement unit, which is extremely simple in operation as well as rapid and efiicient and in which nothing need be removed by the operator from the catheter unit except a small end cap and a needle cap, all the rest of the unit becoming a part of the infusion system.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a catheter placement unit,

a cannulated needle,

a hollow hub on the outer end of said needle,

a tubular catheter sheath of which the outer end is connectable to an infusion tube,

a hollow fitting at the inner end of said sheath,

a oneeway valve in said fitting,

a nose on said fitting shaped to seat in said needle hub,

a circumferentially corrugated resilient tube connecting the needle hub and said fitting, and

a catheter within said sheath extending through said fitting, valve and tube, whereby said catheter may be advanced through said needle by a pumping movement of said fitting relative to said needle hub.

2. In a catheter placement unit, a cannulated needle, a hollow hub on the outer end of said needle, tubular catheter sheathing means attached to said hub and arranged for connection as a part of an infusion system, a hollow fitting in said sheating means, a nose on said fitting to seat in said hollow hub, resilient means in said fitting arranged to assist advancement of a catheter and restrict retraction thereof, and a catheter in saidrsheathing means extending through said resilient means, said sheathing means being longitudinally flexible at least in part to permit advancement of the catheter, and said nose causing compression of said resilient means when seated in said hub to hold the advanced catheter. 3. In a catheter placement unit, a cannulated needle, a hollow hub on the outer end of said needle, catheter sheating means longitudinally flexible at least in part connected at one end to said hub, connecting means at the other end of said sheating means for engagement with an infusion system to permit flow of infusion liquid through. said sheathing means as a direct part of the infusion system, and

a catheter in said sheathing means with one end extending into the cannula of said needle and the other end free of engagement with said connecting means.

4. In a catheter placement unit,

a cannulated needle,

a hollow hub on the outer end of said needle,

catheter sheathing means longitudinally flexible at least in part connected at one end to said hub,

connecting means at the other end of said sheathing means for engagement with an infusion system to permit flow of infusion liquid through said sheathing means as a direct part of the infusion system,

a catheter in said sheating means with one end extending into the cannula of said needle and the other end free of engagement with said connecting means, and

catheter advancing means in said sheath and initially around an intermediate portion of said catheter and arranged to engage and hold said other end of said catheter when the same is fully advanced.

5. In a catheter placement unit,

a cannulated needle,

hollow hub means on one end of said needle, catheter sheathing means at least partly flexible connected at one end to said hub,

a nipple secured to the other end of said sheathing means for connection to an infusion system to inporate said sheathing means as a direct part of the system with infusion liquid flowing along the inside wall of the sheathing means,

a catheter loosely disposed in said sheathing means with one end in the cannula of said needle, and

an enlargement on the other'end of said catheter to prevent complete passage of said catheter through the cannula of said needle.

6. In a catheter placement unit,

a cannulated needle,

hollow hub means on one end of said needle,

catheter sheathing means at least partly flexible connected at one end to said hub,

a nipple secured to the other end of said sheathing means for connection to an infusion system to incorporate said sheathing means as a direct part of the system with infusion liquid flowing along the inside wall of the sheathing means,

a catheter loosely disposed in said sheathing means with one end in the cannula of said needle,

a hollow fitting in said sheating means and surrounding :an intermediate portion of said catheter, and

a resilient one-way valve element in said fitting to assist advancement of said catheter and resist retraction thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,937,643 5/60 Elliot 128-214 3,010,453 11/61 Doherty 128-214 3,055,361 9/ 62 Ballard 128214 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,064,445 10/52 France.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner. 

1. IN A CATHETER PLACEMENT UNIT, A CANNULATED NEEDLE, A HOLLOW HUB ON THE OUTER END OF SAID NEEDLE, A TUBULAR CATHETER SHEATH OF WHICH THE OUTER END IS CONNECTABLE TO AN INFUSION TUBE, A HOLLOW FITTING AT THE INNER END OF SAID SHEATH, A ONE-WAY VALVE IN SAID FITTING, A NOSE ON SAID FITTING SHAPED TO SEAT IN SAID NEEDLE HUB, A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY CORRUGATED RESILIENT TUBE CONNECTING THE NEEDLE HUB AND SAID FITTING, AND A CATHETER WITHIN SAID SHEATH EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FITTING, VALVE AND TUBE, WHEREBY SAID CATHETER MAY BE ADVANCED THROUGH SAID NEEDLE BY A PUMPING MOVEMENT OF SAID FITTING RELATIVE TO SAID NEEDLE HUB. 